Architectural Representations on Iranian Soft-Stone Vessels from Third Millenium B.C.

This paper seeks to documents architectural motifs of various types of soft-stone artefact categories occur in the archaeological contextsand unauthorized excavations of ancient south-west Asia, especially Iran. Iranian softstone vessels produced in southeastern Iran and exported to the other regions. A coloction of different forms and incised decorations of soft- stons vessels present important cultural items of the early Bronze age. These objects found from excavations of some importan sites of Iran. We have some soft-ston founds from Mesopotamia, south Persian Gulf countries too. It seems that soft-stone vessels are of ancient Iran (Elam) manufacture and the vessels were exchanged as trade or as gift between ancient socities in this wide region. Some of soft-stones vessels are representing a sort of structure, have peculiar and intriquing decoration, symbol as house or big architecture. They are cylindrical vessels with round round and base. The sides are slightly curved on outside. The motifs are architectural (hous or temple) decorations. The architectural motifs represent on, two and three floors architecture. Some design represents others architectural structure such as windows, downward doorways and decorative half columns or half towers. The main architecture motif represent by triple downcurving band at the top. Decorative half towers have been observed in Mundigak in Afghanistan. Among other designs is a rod like structure topped by a religious symbol. Stylistically, this design probably shows a Temple or ziggurats. 3D renderings have a significant role in reconstruction process, both for architecture and motifs. So,.the 3D reconstruction of this motif shows us fantactic and functional use of monumental architecture. 3D architecture allows us to understand intuitive interface and simplified interaction. This soft-stone vessels known as serie ancienne or intercultural style. The motif elements are widely distributed across several `cultural’ regions and share a characteristic mode of presentation or style. The main part of the research is based on colorite which these can be considered as “dignity goods” which are given by local regional and inter-regional to their peers indicating wealth source and loyalty and political-cultural relation of states and following, extension of the sphere of cultural-political influence. The existence of a systemic organization and cultural-commercial relations in this time are documented by motifs in ancient Iran and Mesopotamia. At firs glance, creator ability of motifs on colorite dishes by applying Architectural elements is the best document in recognition of port of historical background of architectural knowledge of Iran in half of the 3rd millennium B.C. that known linguistic signs engraved on stone dishes are identified. Also, in this area, types of great religious and ritual monuments help a lot in the form of replica and motifs carved on colorite dishes obtained from Yahya, Shahdad, Jiroft and Susa. In this recognition, the application of spaces and proportions reflect central core of doing court and ritural affairs. Motifs of multi-story stone containers show that main entries are connected to living internal space. Buildings’ elements such as wall and columns show firmness and tidiness. Although there is no information about building material, but based on Mundigak and Jiroft that have great similarity to motifs architectural type, clays are the most basic material used in this type of architecture. Matching multi-story soapstone motifs with facade and plans obtained from exploring areas of Shoush, Konarsandel of Jiroft, Mundiggak and works related to maneuver can shows great buildings not only in Mesopotamia, but also in different areas of Iran cultural domain. Creating monumental and ritural buildings based on reproduced model examples based on colorite cantainers motifs can show a preset architectural program with measuring all technical and architectural facilities with artistic elegance. This architecture type is a symbol of technical knowledge, economical cultural, ritural and sovereignty knowledge of the society of that time. Great memorial spaces not only explain ability of constructing the building from architecture point of view, but also indicate society elite, society beliefs beside the everyday applications of society as a regioal power center.